River of Hodgepodge

June is here, and so is the Hodgepodge. Many thanks to our host Joyce for the great questions, and to all who hop around the interwebs making visits to the HP bloggers. Just click on the button below to visit Joyce, after you have enjoyed my answers of course!

1. Have you learned more from success or failure? Explain.

I think we learn more from failure, hard as those lessons may be. In the words of Bill Gates:  "It's fine to celebrate success, but it's more important to heed the lessons of failure."

2.  What did you call your grandparents when you were growing up? If you have children, what do they call your parents? If you have grandchildren, what do they call you?

I called my paternal grandparents Granny and Gramp.

 My maternal grandparents were Pampaw and Mamaw.

Our children and their cousins call Jim's parents Grandpa and Grandma.

And my parents are Nana and Boomie to their grandchildren. I suppose the Boomie needs a bit of an explanation. Our son David, the first grandchild, liked to play my brother's drum when he was at my parents' house. Since he could say 'Boom Boom', like the drum, my dad taught him to call him that. It eventually evolved to Boomie or The Boomster.

And I'm Granny to our three (soon to be four) little grands.

3.  You're invited to a luau.  In keeping with that theme, what dish will you bring to share?

Hmmmm.... something with pineapple, I guess. 

Pina colada?

4. Besides Jesus, what one person's life story do you think everyone should know about?

There are many strong, brave, and inspirational people, and it's difficult to choose just one. I'm sure there will be lots of interesting answers, but my first thought (two thoughts, actually): Anne Frank and Mother Teresa.

5. "Don't sweat the small stuff." Agree or Disagree? Why?

Agree. And it's really all small stuff.

6.  June is National Rivers Month. When were you last on a river? What's the prettiest river you've ever seen? What's a river you'd like to see?

The last time I was on a river was last September when we took the ferry across the Mississippi from New Orleans to Algiers.

As for the prettiest river, you really can't beat the view of the Ohio from the point at Hanover College. I attended Hanover for three years before finishing my degree at Purdue, so I'm an honorary alumni. :) The alma mater makes reference to the river in the first verse:

High above a stately river,

Far from mart and town, Stands our noble Alma Mater, Looking proudly down.

We, her children, sing her praises, Live our loyalty.

Hail to thee, our Alma Mater! Hanover, hail to thee. 

And, of course, I can't forget Jennifer's famous reference to the 'Atomic River'. Atomic, Potomac, whatever.

A river I would like to see? The Seine, because that means I would be in Paris.

7.  Speaking of rivers-paddling, fishing, swimming, or bird watching safely from the shore? Which activity would you choose? Yes-you have to choose.

I can't answer this question without recalling a canoe trip down the Little Miami River with my Uncle Bill and cousin Kent when I was about 12. Uncle Bill thought it would be great fun to take Kent (around age 6) and me on a canoe trip. We rented a canoe from a livery that trucked us upriver, put us in the water, and pointed the way back to our starting point. We were novice canoeists and weren't prepared for the rapids we encountered along the way. After making it through a couple patches of rough water, we came to a spot where the water ran fast, flipped the canoe into a low tree branch, and spilled us all into the water. Uncle Bill yelled for me to stay with the canoe, which was wedged into the branches. He went after Kent, who was floating down the river in his life jacket saying, "Dad, there goes our lunch! Dad, there go the paddles! Dad, there goes your hat!" Fortunately, Uncle Bill retrieved Kent, sat him on the shore, came back for the canoe and me, and we continued on our way. It was always one of Uncle Bill's favorite stories to tell.
And with that memory refreshed, I will choose bird watching safely from the shore. :)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Today is the birthday of my dear friend Ruthann. 

You may remember that she is currently undergoing treatment in her battle with leiomyosarcoma. Please say a prayer for her today, and if you would like to send her a birthday greeting or word of encouragement, you may do so on her Caring Bridge site or by email at rsmithdrbgs@icloud.com.

Happy Birthday, Ruthann! You are loved.